Quality Assurance Director

• Quality Assurance Director
• Jersey City, NJ
• Salary Range: $140,000 - $170,000

A leading Food & Beverage Manufacturer seeks a Quality Assurance Director to lead quality and food safety functions across two key sites in Northern NJ. This role will oversee all Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) activities within FDA/USDA-regulated facilities, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and industry standards. The Director will develop, implement, and maintain operational KPIs, SOPs, and best practices aligned with company and regulatory quality standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage QA/QC teams across multiple sites, ensuring compliance with FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMP, and ISO standards.
• Develop and implement strategic quality and food safety programs to support 24/7 operations.
• Maintain relationships with regulatory agencies and facilitate audits (USDA, FDA, third-party).
• Investigate and resolve customer complaints and quality issues; conduct root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Oversee documentation and record-keeping to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and establish KPIs for quality performance.
• Ensure proper training and development of QA staff on food safety and quality standards.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, R&D, and supply chain teams to maintain product integrity.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related field.
• 8+ years of progressive QA/QC experience in food or beverage manufacturing, with at least 4 years in leadership roles.
• Strong knowledge of FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMP, and FSMA regulations.
• Proven experience managing audit processes (regulatory and third-party).
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement quality systems and SOPs.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to lead multi-site operations and manage cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency in data analysis and quality metrics reporting.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Food Science, Quality Management, or related discipline.
• PCQI certification and/or SQF Practitioner credentials.
• Experience with ISO 22000, BRC, or other GFSI standards.
• Background in continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma).
• Multi-site leadership experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with ERP or QMS software systems.
• Strong track record of building and mentoring high-performing QA teams.
• Ability to manage global quality initiatives and interface with international stakeholders.